Another New Project (Oversize Recliners)

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

When it rains it pours!

Last year, I finished up one chair, did a set of chairs for a barbershop and a set of outdoor furniture cushions and that was about it for upholstery.  Working on taxes and it was by far my worst year, bottom line.  Of course the fact that I was flat on my back for a full 3 months didn't help.

So, here we are early late-January and I have landed the bimini, plus 2 oversize recliners for my BIL and need to work up a bid on a set of outdoor furniture seats.  Could be a wild year!

I will find out the real name of these recliners but as memory serves me, they are like a chair and a half.  You could definitely have a party in these chairs.  I'm recovering one only so it will match the other.  The other chair is the problem.  BIL and his wife adopted a cat and the cat, much like our two cats not adapting to joe, never adapted to its new environment.  This cat decided that one of the chairs should be its litter box.  BIL's wife said she used all the commercial crap that is supposed to take out cat odors but they don't.  Cat was humanely put down and they are left with a stained, nasty smelling chair.  They don't want to dispose of the chair because it is only about 18 months old and is also part of a set (2 chairs and a couch).

I tried to bow out of this project as BIL's wife is extremely picky and so I'm reluctant to tackle this project.  I've hemmed pants and replaced zippers without problems but ....  So, I used the excuse of the chair being too large to get into Sew & Sew.  Wife decided that BIL could recover it for her.  Poor guy.  First of all, it's just not recovering.  Stuffing needs to be replaced and there is a lot of stitching on the fabric.  Thinking I had outsmarted them, I said that if they could tear it apart and put it back together, I would do the actual upholstery work.  SIL called yesterday morning, oh so excited to let me know that their son in law had gotten the back off and she is just sure that they will be able to get the pieces down the stairs and into Sew & Sew.

I don't think it will be real bad.  Just know that I need to bring my A++++ game.  LOL.  Obviously, I replacing everything except the frame and hope that there is not a residual odor in the frame. 

Serious question, is this a lost cause due to the odor?  Or will replacing the stuffing and covering do the trick?

Thanks, as always!

Virginia

[sofadoc]

Are these recliners fairly simple in design? If they have a lot of gathered seams, it will be difficult for you to match the factory techniques. And while you can replace all the smelly stuffing, again it probably won't match the other recliner in firmness. I hope your SIL isn't so picky when it comes to expecting the 2 recliners to be identical.

And something tells me that just because your relatives disassembled it successfully, they may not be so lucky with the reassembly phase.

This job sounds like a money pit. I'm sure that your in-laws are expecting to save a butt load of money compared to buying new.

If you were to charge them what you SHOULD charge, they could probably buy 2 new ones for the cost of recovering just 1 of them.

As a general rule, I try to discourage customers with recliners. They're usually looking to save money versus buying new. And the only way that's possible, is if they can convince YOU to work for minimum wage.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I have some fabric swatches to take over tomorrow so SIL and I will "talk" about things and I'll double check the issues you mentioned.  Hubby's chair has lots of gathers on the foot rest piece so I understand what you are talking about there.  I don't recall these chairs having that.  There's a fair amount of piecing and seaming that will be stretched over the seat and front of the back but I'm good with that. 

I believe the intent is that I will cover one chair and then the second one as well so that the fabric matches.  I'll let her know going in that there will be a difference in firmness and hopefully that will nip that in the bud.

As far as price, I know you are correct.  She called one upholsterer in town, after I respectfully declined working on them, and she did tell him that she could buy 2 brand new recliners for his quote.  I am taking some off my price since I don't have to take these beasts apart and put them back together.  I will also cut them some slack as they have done a lot for us over the years.  We would never have survived the first year of Joe's puppyness had we not been able to take him over to their house so he could run off steam with their crew.  Can't put a price on that.  I will still come out smelling like a rose, pricewise on this.  Just nice to be able to let her know some of these issues up front.

Thanks for your input!

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

What sources do you all have for stuffing replacement for recliners.  Seat looks like a solid piece of foam (won't know until I open it up) but arm rests and back pillows are just stuffing, non descript, white, pull apart stuff.  I'll post a pic if need be.

Thanks for your help!

Virginia

[MinUph]

Virginia,
  The fill sounds like loose fill polyester. No bonded like you might use on a cushion. This comes in a bag. What I like to do to completely replace this for an arm or a back is make a bag out of bonded poly sewn 3 1/2 sides like you would a pillow. Turn this rightside out and fill with the loose fill. Close the bottom up and you have a bag for the arm or back.
  You can buy this loose fill where you get your bonded.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks Paul!

Loose fill poly sounds exactly right.  Just didn't know the terminology.  I hate to sound extremely stupid, bear in mind I have done mostly restaurant seats/chairs/boat seats so I haven't done that much with fillings.  What exactly is bonded and what is a good source for ordering it from?

Thanks so much!

Virginia

[MinUph]

Bonded polyester is dacron fibres held together with a spray adhesive of some kind making it into sheet form. Good for wrapping cushions with. You can get it from any upholstery supply house or foam supplier. I use my neighbor here in Tarpon Springs. Florida Foam. They could ship it if you want. Google them and they should show up. Many other places to buy it also.

[sofadoc]

If you're only buying enough to do the 2 recliners, you're better off trying to find a local place (even if you have to pay retail, such as Hobby Lobby or JoAnns).

Most wholesale suppliers will only ship big rolls. And they shrink it down to save on shipping costs. After you open it up and let it re-inflate, all the wrinkles never fully come out.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks!  I am going to buy enough to do both recliners.  I'll recover the "cat" chair and once that's been reassembled, I'll do the second one.

As far as the rolled stuff, it does make more sense to buy local.  I only need that for the chair bottom.  Most of it is the loose poly fiber and that is the stuff I want to buy on-line in quantity as getting one sack at a time from HL or Jo-Ann's is cost prohibitive.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

BIL came over yesterday and gave me money so that I can get the fabric/loose polyester fill ordered for their two oversize recliners.  He was too funny.  When he handed me the check, he said that he expressed surprise to his wife about needing to take money over to me.  He had told her "there's no rush in getting those chairs recovered" and she replied "I would like MY chair fixed so that I can sit in it again."  Guess the rate of urgency depends on whether or not the cat peed in your chair.  Bob & I both got a great chuckle out of that!

Virginia